Broken Peace
by Whisperwill
Summary: Post-Buu Saga. It's been four years since the defeat of Majin Buu, and peace has reigned. But that calm is about to be shattered as a new villain arrives to threaten the Earth. Can the Z warriors rise to meet this new menace? It's time for a new generation to step forward.
1. Prologue

**Broken Peace**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Dragonball Z_. How could I? I'm not Japanese. :D I'm not making money off this story. How could I? Akira Toriyama's the brains behind this outfit.**

**A/N: Originally completed...well, I don't exactly know. At least seven years before this "publication" date. Horizontal dividers represent scene change or change in point of view. I had struggles while finishing this story. Do you think I captured the "essence" of the show? Were the characters, the setting, the story believable? Please tell all and REVIEW!**

**Rated T for violence/physical injuries.**

_Prologue_

A spaceship flew through the void of space, its thrusters inactive, not in any particular hurry. From the shadows within, a pair of eyes opened, looked around. The eyes' owner had been sleeping, dreaming dreams that were terrible. He had waked and was free of them now, for the moment. He got to his feet and approached his navigation screen. With one push of a button on the control panel, the system was activated. His ship showed on the screen as a moving red dot. He tapped it again, and the view zoomed outward to include the entire Northern Quadrant, where his ship floated. He scanned the entire area, indecisive. Hundreds of galaxies, thousands of planets, were included on the screen. Ranging from huge to miniscule, the planets glowed every color of the rainbow. So many places…too many to decide. In the end, he closed his eyes and jabbed his finger at the range of choices. There was a small _beep_, and the automatic database supplied him with further information. The planet on the screen was a soft, pretty blue with fascinating swirls of white. It was richly populated, with many diverse cultures, but its inhabitants' mean power level didn't exceed a pathetic level five. Tap, tap. A course was set for the coordinates provided. As he passed a nearby star, the light reflected from his eyes. The resulting gleam reflected the thrill of the chase.

Of all the worlds in the entire North Quadrant, he'd chosen—Earth.

And he was not traveling there with intentions of peace.


	2. Training

"Okay, Goten. I'm teaching you a new technique today. Are you ready?"

Eleven-year-old Goten stood before his father. The bleak scenery around them—stark cliffs jutting up to meet the sky—was the ideal place for training. No one ever came out here; no Earthling ran the risk of getting hurt when things started getting intense. No one would see the Saiyans' astonishing alien powers. They were safe in the midst of the mountain range they called home.

Goten took a fighting stance. "I'm ready!" he affirmed.

"All right!" Goku said with a grin. "First, I want you to show me your Kamehameha." Goten cupped his hands, preparing for the anticipated move. "Ka…" He concentrated on sending his energy to his hands. "Me…" It crackled like lightning, coming to life. "Ha…" He had harnessed it fully now, blue and glowing. "Me…" He pressed on it with his hands and his mind, forming it into a ball. There—it was done! "HAAA!" he cried, turning it on Goku with an impish grin.

Goku was caught off-guard, but he quickly reached out, caught the ball, and threw it back. "Right back at'cha!" he laughed. Goten moved aside in the nick of time to let the energy blaze past him. "Okay, you've definitely got that down," noted Goku. "Now, the next part is harder. Watch me closely." He rose into the air. "Kamehame…" Goten looked on, confused, wondering why his father was trying to teach him something he already knew how to do. His confusion grew as he saw the energy forming beneath Goku's _feet_. It became a large, impressive ball. "Haaaaa!" Goku finished, shooting upward like a cork from a champagne bottle. The Kamahameha Wave streamed out behind him, causing him to resemble a comet. He made a hairpin turn and came at his son like a bullet. Goten grunted from the impact as Goku tackled him. They rolled with the momentum, wrestling and laughing. Eventually Goku stood, dusted himself off, and said to his youngest, "All right now, you try." At the unsure look on Goten's face, he added, "I know this isn't easy, son. But I also know you can _do_ it." Goten nodded and took to the air, hovering above his father's head. "Say the command the same way," Goku instructed him. "Feel the energy and push it _down_, to your feet. Ready? Go!"

* * *

Trunks, of course, didn't have it so easy.

He was struggling to dodge a furious barrage of chi raining down on him from his father, who was hovering above. "Go on the offensive! Attack!" bellowed Vegeta. In a small opening, Trunks located his father's exact location and vanished, moving faster than the speed of sound. But when he reappeared a split second later, Vegeta wasn't there. Trunks searched, trying to pinpoint his father's darting energy signal. But he was distracted by Goku and Goten's training nearby. He cried out as he felt a fist in the small of his back. "Focus!" Vegeta hissed in his ear before disappearing again. Trunks landed on the ground, deciding not to try to divide his attention between flying and searching. After a few moments, he honed in on the signal and raced to intercept it. Vegeta reappeared and met him head-on. For a full half-minute they sparred furiously, their movements mere blurs. Then Vegeta broke away and floated higher, commanding, "Attack me!"

Trunks set his jaw and rushed upward. He was a breath away from his goal when there was a burst of laughter, away off to his right. He faltered in flight, glancing toward the noise.

Vegeta's eyes became slits of irritation as Trunks made himself an easy target. An energy ball appeared in his gloved hands.

BOOM! The blast took Trunks completely by surprise. He fell like a stone and hit the ground headfirst. He could feel his face heat up as Vegeta landed next to him. How could he have been so stupid during training? He struggled to get to his feet. Vegeta wasn't about to give him a hand up, especially not after his embarrassing performance. "Hesitating like that in the heat of a real battle could cost you your life," his father growled, giving him a glare of such scorn that he had to look away. "If you can't even concentrate on our little _pretend_ match, perhaps we should train somewhere _else_." Visions of his grandpa's gravity room came to Trunks's mind. He hated that place almost as much as the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

"I can do it," he muttered under his breath. He risked taking a hopeful glance in Goten's direction, wishing they could play tag. Vegeta noticed it, and his scowl deepened.

"The purpose of your training is _not_ to have _fun!"_ he shouted angrily. "It's not so you can stay stronger than Goten and beat him in a match. I fight to increase my strength, to keep alive my Saiyan heritage—but most importantly, to defend the Earth. One day, you may have to put your life on the line to protect those you love." He made a noise of contempt through gritted teeth. "And you can't even pay attention during a _training_ match? A real villain would tear you _apart_." He turned on his heel and flew away.

* * *

"Nice work, Goten!" Goku praised his son. "Yeah! You're doing it!" At first, Goten had struggled with moving the energy to a totally different place on his body—he'd continued, from habit, transferring it to his hands. But he was beginning to catch on. His new problem was that while the power was now gathering at his feet, he couldn't compress it. It remained wild and unpredictable. Even as Goku spoke, a fork of the blue lightning struck him on the shoulder, causing him to give a squeal of surprise. Goten, whose young face had formerly been screwed up with concentration, cast an anxious look at his father.

"Oh, no—did I do something wrong?" he blurted. "Are you hurt, Dad? I'm sorry!"

"No, no, it's all right, Goten," Goku reassured him soothingly. "I'm OK…but I think you're trying too hard. Relax a little. Feel the energy inside you and just let it out." Goten's gaze flicked beyond his father for a second before he closed his eyes. Goku turned curiously and spotted Trunks in the distance. He lifted his hand in greeting and Trunks did the same, smart enough not to call out. When Goku turned back, he saw Goten was tensing up again. "I think you're concentrating too hard on relaxing," he said, trying not to laugh when he thought how ironic that was. He regretted offering advice when Goten's eyes snapped open and—again—flicked to Trunks. Goku sighed inwardly with disappointment. Goten was so close to a breakthrough! But he'd never be able to concentrate with Trunks so close by. So Goku declared training done for the day. Goten looked surprised, but he wasn't about to question his free time. Goku followed him as he dashed off toward Trunks. "Don't go far, you two," he said as he landed next to them.

"We won't," Goten promised. Trunks uncharacteristically said nothing. Goku was surprised to see the look of quiet dejection on the boy's face.

"Huh? What's wrong, Trunks?" he asked, bending down to look into the young Saiyan's eyes. Trunks looked away with a scowl that seemed more like denial than anything.

"Race you to that big rock!" Goten challenged his friend, more oblivious than even his father. The two boys took off, Goku's hair rustling in the wind they left in their wake. The strongest being alive grinned fondly after his departing rascals, quickly found Vegeta's signal, and took off after him.


	3. Not a Game

"I win!" The cry actually came from both boys, but for fairness' sake they had to argue about it.

"I touched it first!" Goten cried, a challenging gleam in his eye.

"Did not," rejoined Trunks, but he was grinning. "See right there? The rock cracked where I hit it."

"Just 'cause you hit it _harder_, doesn't mean you hit it _first_," Goten pointed out.

"Does, too!"

"Does not!"

After about a minute of the same old song, Goten's mild nature ended the battle. "Oh, all right, fine—we _both_ won," he compromised. "It was a tie." Which was true in the first place.

Trunks clasped his hands in Goten's. "C'mon! Let's spin!" he urged his friend. And they did, whirling about until their progress was a blur. Once they had created the desired whirlwind, they separated and rode the winds, whooping and laughing. The dispute during his training had already left Trunks's mind. Being with Goten always lifted his spirits. They were the best of friends. All the differences separating them didn't compare to the single similarity: they were both half Saiyan. Goten was the only real playmate Trunks had on this planet, and vice versa.

"Let's play heroes and villains!" Goten suggested eagerly. "I'll be the hero!"

"Okay," Trunks consented. "I was hero last time, anyway. I'll be from planet, um…Zbunktos." He cleared his throat and said, in a properly nasty-sounding voice, "People of Earth, bow to your new overlord!"

* * *

"Vegeta, wait up!" called Goku, putting on an extra burst of speed to catch up.

"You have something to say, Kacarrot?" Vegeta turned to look at Goku without slowing down.

"Yeah. How'd training go?"

Vegeta snorted derisively. "Trunks shames his training and his heritage."

"What do you mean?" Goku wanted to know.

"He makes mistakes that even _beginners_ would avoid," Vegeta replied. He gritted his teeth. "It's all a _game_ to him!"

"So he messed up at one practice—he'll do better tomorrow," Goku tried to cheer his friend up.

"It's not just today," explained Vegeta darkly. "He's lost his focus."

"Maybe it's just a phase," Goku reasoned. "You should lighten up a little, Vegeta. He's only a kid! When _I_ was fourteen, the whole world was my playground!" He laughed with the memories of a wild little monkey-boy in the backwoods.

"When _I_ was fourteen, I served an intergalactic tyrant," Vegeta retorted. "Every week there was a new planet to wipe out." Goku didn't know how to reply to that, and Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Don't make excuses for laziness, Kacarrot! And don't tell me you weren't a focused, _competent_ fighter, even when you were young."

"Aw, come on. _Everything's_ a game to a twelve-year-old," Goku coaxed him.

"Kacarrot, you know as well as I do that fighting is _not_ a game!" Vegeta snapped. "This is the single most serious aspect of a Saiyan's life, but he considers training a chore—something to be done only because he's told to." He shook his head. "The boys are already forgetting the peril they faced when they fought Buu. This time of peace has made them soft."

"Those two bundles of energy, _soft_?" Goku repeated skeptically.

"Mentally, not physically!" As Vegeta spoke, his voice rose. "Trunks only died once, and he was unconscious throughout the whole affair. He doesn't understand the grave danger of a true fight." He looked Goku directly in the eye. "One day soon he's going to face a deadly foe, and he's going to get himself killed." He turned away and was barely audible when he said, "I fear for him, Kacarrot."

Goku didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent. He knew that Vegeta's harsh exterior was only due to worry. Goku was still wondering how close to the truth his friend was when he and Vegeta separated five minutes later, heading to their homes.

* * *

"It's _over_, Thepmok! I'm going to make sure your evil never shadows another planet! This fight ends _now_!" Goten proclaimed heroically, floating in the air high above Trunks. He began to form a Kamahameha Ball.

Trunks let out his best throaty chuckle. "It ends now, all right," he agreed. "For _one_ of us." He proceeded to turn into a Super Saiyan. His eyes went aqua, his hair turned blond, and a golden aura of power shone around him. He raised both hands over his head and directed the golden energy upward to form a glowing sphere above himself. He grinned proudly as Goten forgot himself for a moment and exclaimed in admiration.

Up in the air, Goten's attack was ready. The ball glowed a brilliant blue, making Trunks squint even from the ground. Goten, his dark hair turned a deceptive light color from the glow, launched it. Trunks threw his ball at the same time. Within moments, the two energies clashed.

Goten's whole body was tense, focused on pushing his ball at Trunks. For his part, Trunks was keeping his best friend at bay with his own chi blast, but the tide could turn either way at the moment. He yelled and pushed with all his Super Saiyan might. The Kamehameha shot back toward its wielder. Goten had to turn Super in a hurry just to break even. With a screech, he pushed back. The light flared, blinding. Then, it exploded.

* * *

Pain.

Trunks had never felt so much pain. His arm felt like it would fall apart if he moved. He lay flat on his back, his vision foggy. Nearby, he saw an orange-and-black blob. No…that couldn't be right. He shut his eyes tightly, and when he opened them again, he could see that the orange was clothing, the black was hair, and the blob was…Goten. He was so still, it was easy to imagine he was…dead.

"No…" Trunks groaned, pushing himself to his feet with great difficulty. He gripped his shoulder hard, the pain not as important now as his one purpose—get to Goten. The six steps it took him to get there felt more like a mile. Then, he was at his friend's side, his breathing ragged. "G-Goten, are you—" he began, but before he could finish, the pain overwhelmed him at last, and he slumped to the dirt, unconscious.


	4. Surprise!

Vegeta, keeping tabs on the boys while he was training, froze in shock when he felt the impossibly high surge of energy. Immediately he turned the gravity enhancer down to normal and ran out of the training room, taking flight when he got outdoors. As he headed toward them, he could sense one boy's energy dwindling. The other was fading rapidly. Sensing the pressing need to be swift, he disappeared. When he felt the boys below him, he stopped. Registering a sudden presence on his left, he turned to see Goku materialize beside him.

"Let's go," Goku said, starting to head down to the limp forms below.

"No!" hissed Vegeta, grabbling his arm. "Kacarrot, you fool, this could be a trap! What if something attacked them?" So the two Saiyans were forced to waste a minute of precious time, searching the surrounding area to ensure it was safe. Then they rushed to their boys. Trunks was sprawled on the ground facedown, his right arm jutting out from the shoulder unnaturally. Goten lay next to him, ghostly pale. Goku and Vegeta quickly checked their vital signs. The weak pulse in the neck of each child signified that they were both alive, Goten barely so.

"Get Dende," Vegeta said tersely. Goku didn't need telling twice. He placed his two first fingers against his forehead and was gone, traveling by Instant Transmission to the Lookout. He was back before Vegeta could blink.

"What—where—?" Dende stammered, disoriented from the unexpected journey. Goku led him over to the fallen boys.

"_Please_, Dende," he begged urgently, "_help_ them!"

The Namekian's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't ask questions. He knelt next to Goten and ran his hands gently over the boy's body. "It's all right now, Goten." He spoke calmly as usual, with the wisdom befitting a Guardian of Earth. "I'll heal you." Goku's fists were clenched; his fear was so great Vegeta could practically smell it. Dende held his hands over Goten. His antennae began to glow a soft gold. The healing light spread to his hands and flowed into Goten. After a few moments the boy stirred. He sat up as Dende's healing light faded away.

"Goten!" Goku exclaimed in relief. Goten was taken by surprise as Goku's arms wrapped crushingly around him.

"Ugh—Dad? Whoa, what happened?" He blinked over his father's shoulder. "Why is Dende here?" Neither the Namekian nor Vegeta was paying much attention to them. Dende had now turned his healing power on Trunks.

"You'll be good as new, Trunks," he promised the boy. "Just hold on." The light glowed around him briefly and was gone. Trunks pushed himself up.

"Huh? Hey!" he cried as he came to his senses. Seeing all the people around him, he scratched his head and asked, "Why is Dende here?"

The Earth's Guardian laughed. "Yep, they're back to normal," he pronounced.

"Thank you, Dende," said Goku fervently.

"Wait, 'normal'?" repeated Goten, still confused. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know!" yelled Vegeta. He glared at his son. "Were you two playing hide-and-go-seek, or trying to kill each other?"

"Well, I used my Kamehameha, but then…" Goten put his finger to his mouth. "I don't remember."

"You _don't remember_?" Goku repeated his son's words with disbelief.

"Well, isn't that convenient," Vegeta observed dryly. "Our sons are half dead on the ground, but neither of them knows why or how." He pointed to his son. "Get back home. Right now! If you're going to kill yourself, at least have the decency to do it under your own roof."

Trunks gulped and powered up. "Right, Dad." He took off in a jiffy.

"Um, I'll go home, too," said Goten nervously, and hurried after Trunks. Goku watched them go.

"They don't remember," he said again as though saying it would help him understand it.

"It's strange," mused Dende. "They had terrible injuries. Trunks's arm was twisted somehow, and Goten broke his neck." Goku sucked in his breath when he heard that. "But those two never get hurt…" Dende went on. "And you mean to tell me that all this happened because they were fighting together?" He folded his arms and shook his head, looking like Piccolo. "It doesn't make sense."

"Tell me about it." The deep voice was followed by its owner as Piccolo himself swooped down to them feet first.

"Piccolo!" Goku greeted his old friend.

"And that's not the only thing that doesn't make sense around here," the tall Namekian continued.

Vegeta blinked. "What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Vegeta, you could feel the energy as well as I could," Piccolo pointed out. "You know that your sons couldn't put out a power level of that magnitude. I know they're powerful," he conceded, "but two Saiyan boys wouldn't have a power _that_ high. Not unless they were pushed to their limits and beyond. And from what they've told you, it appears they were just playing."

"So what are you saying?" Dende asked with wide eyes.

Piccolo looked down. "I've been having…I don't know. Dreams, or visions, I guess."

"But you said you couldn't tell anything for sure!" Goku reminded him.

"Oh, so you know about this, Kacarrot?" Vegeta glared up at his rival. "And just _when_ were you planning on telling the _rest_ of us, I wonder?"

Goku waved his hands in an apology. His sheepish smile was that of a young boy's. "Sorry, I just—we didn't want to worry anyone, that's all."

"It's a little late for _that_, I think," Vegeta pointed out, rolling his eyes. He rounded on Piccolo. "Stop stalling and _tell_ us, Namekian! What did you see?" Piccolo kept his eyes on the ground and didn't answer for a long moment. Then he breathed deeply and replied,

"Earth was under attack."

"By whom?" Vegeta pressed him.

Piccolo shook his head, his eyes unusually far away. "I couldn't see anyone or anything definite. It was more of a…feeling. Earth was being attacked. And our friends were in danger. The aggressor took us all by surprise."

"Well, at least it won't come as a surprise now!" Goku said brightly. As if waiting for the perfect cue to butt in, it was at that moment a voice from the sky spoke up.

"It's _always_ a surprise." The Z fighters looked up as one man to see who had spoken. It was a tall black creature with hulking muscles, whose shiny skin was black and smooth. Or maybe he was wearing a reflective form-fitting jumpsuit. His eyes were pools of red, with neither iris nor pupil. He spread his arms wide, fingers extended. "Surprise!"

It was a comical entrance that none of the warriors found funny, Piccolo least of all. "That's him," he told the others, his voice grim. "That's the attacker."

"I thought you couldn't see anything definite!" Vegeta challenged him.

"I _couldn't_. There was nothing to see." Piccolo's sure voice somehow ended the argument. "But I _know_ it's him."

"Well, then we know what happens next, don't we?" Vegeta muttered. Dende surprised them all by speaking first—and rather rashly.

"Excuse me!" he called up to the assumed villain. "As the Guardian of Earth, it's my duty to ask you what your intentions are, strange being!"

"Guardian of Earth," the newcomer repeated, rolling the words off his tongue. He grinned broadly. "Then you'll have to guard it from me! Because my name is Ful, and I'm here to have fun!"

"F-fun?" Dende was obviously confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means I'll do as I please with this planet and everything on it!" crowed the self-introduced Ful.

"No, you won't!" Goku yelled. "In case you don't know yet, the Earth has people who love and defend it! Like us!"

"Think you'll have 'fun' when we get our hands on you, wretch?" Vegeta threatened him. Ful flipped upside-down, still smiling.

"Fighting? Killing? Dying?" He laughed aloud. "Each more fun than the last!"


	5. A Real Battle

Goten was lying flat on his back in his bed, waving his feet around in the air. "It was weird, though, huh?" he said. To all appearances, he was speaking to the air. Then Trunks's head popped up over the windowsill. He was hanging around (literally) for a little while longer before heading back across the mountains to his house in West City.

"Yeah," Trunks agreed, his voice sober. "We _weren't_ trying to kill each other; I don't care what my dad says."

"Why can't I _remember_ what happened after my Kamehameha blew you back?" Goten asked himself. Trunks frowned.

"Hey, that's not true. _My_ blast won, not yours!" But his friend wasn't listening. Goten's baby face was scrunched up as he racked his brain. His eyes were shut.

"I think…I think something…hit me." He moved his hand to touch his head and massage the overgrown black hair. "Really hard." Trunks blinked in thought. If Goten could recall what happened, then he could, too.

"Well, I got thrown back"—he hated to admit that part—"and then I hit a wall or something. But it hurt more than just hitting a bunch of rocks…" He rolled his shoulder around in circles to flex his recently-healed arm. Yes, it had hurt even more than his dad or Goten's mom had ever done.

"Do you think something happened?" Goten wondered.

"You mean, like something sneaked up on us?"

Both boys went as tense as rubber bands when they felt a massive power level out of the blue. Gulping, Goten ventured, "Uh, something like that?"

"Yeah. Something like that," agreed Trunks. He stared toward the source of the chi. "It's not my dad or your dad, so it must be someone we've never seen before." He shook his head. "'Cause no one else is that strong."

"And feel that?" Goten was concentrating so hard that he was holding his breath. "Everyone else is going _toward_ it." He stared at his friend in awe. "They're going to fight!" The two boys were speechless, each thinking of the implications of what Goten had just said. Earth hadn't been threatened for years—not since Majin Buu. They hadn't truly fought anyone in a long time. Sure, they had been more or less training, but that was nothing like a real battle. Now, all of a sudden, a fight was thrust upon them.

Trunks's blue eyes gleamed with eagerness. He was ready for it. "You know what that means, don't you?" He leaped into Goten's room and began ransacking the bottom dresser drawer. One of his gis must be in here somewhere…he was always leaving them over here after training for Chi-Chi to launder. He found a black one with an orange belt, pulled it out, and began hopping around in excitement. "We're going to fight, too!"

Goten's open mouth slowly turned into a huge grin. "Yeah! Let's do it!" He threw off his surcoat (his mother made him wear it) and kicked off his little shoes (he wore those when Goku wasn't looking). In a flash, he was in his orange fighting outfit, complete with the heavy black boots. He was looking less and less like a carbon copy of his dad as he got older. His body was maturing, and his hair had grown a lot. But he still proudly wore the same orange clothes as Goku, although the weighted blue undershirt and wrist cuffs were nowhere to be seen.

Both of them jumped out the window and soared through the air, making zigzags and loop-the-loops. "Watch out, you monster!" proclaimed Goten heroically.

"Here we come!" Trunks yelled with gusto. And this time it wasn't one of their pretend games.

This was real.


	6. A Weapon against Us

The two remaining Saiyans in the universe were joined by nearly all of Earth's special forces. Tien, Krillen, Yamcha, Gohan, and Videl touched down one by one. "Good, they're all here," Piccolo noted, satisfied. He went on to explain, "I called everyone here—I knew we'd have to pull out all the stops on this guy."

"Not like we needed convincing, once we felt that power level spike," added Krillen. "Hoo! Man, I haven't felt anything like that in a while."

"It's great to see all of you again," Goku said warmly. He scratched his head as he looked over them all. "Hmm, but where's Buu? We could really use his help."

Videl looked embarrassed. "Uh, my dad, well…he…sort of made a deal with Capsule Corp and went on vacation—planet hopping."

Goku's jaw dropped. "He's traveling the galaxy?"

"Well, probably outside of the galaxy, now," Videl amended. "And he…he took Buu and Bi with him."

Earth's greatest hero groaned. "Great. Right when we need him the most…" He rubbed his head. "They'd never make it back here in time."

"He's always wanted to see outer space," Videl mumbled her makeshift apology.

Vegeta folded his arms over his chest. "It's all right. We don't need Buu's help, anyway," he grunted. Glaring around, he pointed out, "Those of us who are here are more than enough to meet this threat." He turned to look at Goku's eldest son. "Although _some_ of us will have to go."

Gohan massaged the back of his head self-consciously. The reading glasses and dress shirt he was rarely seen without, had been replaced by his old fighting outfit. "I think I know who you mean." He glanced at his wife apologetically.

"What? What are you—?" Videl folded her arms just as stubbornly as Vegeta had. "Oh no, you don't, Gohan. You couldn't stop me from coming with you, and you're _not_ going to stop me from fighting."

"Who said _he_ was going to?" Vegeta interjected.

Videl rounded on him. "Hey! It's my Earth, too, y'know! I have just as much right to defend it as you do!"

"You'll either get in our way, or get yourself killed," Vegeta informed her. "Is that what you want?"

"Now, wait just a minute!" Videl was on the cusp of a tirade, but Goku clapped a hand onto her shoulder at that moment.

"I'm sorry, Videl. It's too dangerous for you to stay with us." His voice was quiet but firm. "We're asking you to fly back home now, but we have other ways of doing it if you're not going to leave quietly." He smiled one of those serious battle-mode smiles of his.

"But I'm the champion's _daughter_," Videl reminded him. She couldn't understand why they weren't letting her stay.

"Maybe," conceded Goku, "but you've never fought anyone like this before. And we can't let someone fight who doesn't know what they're up against." He gave her a gentle nudge in the direction from which she'd come. Videl looked helplessly from face to face. Vegeta was still scowling at her; Gohan waved sheepishly; and Goku's mind was obviously made up. She squeezed her hands into fists.

"But what about Gohan?"

"Don't worry," Goku reassured her. "Gohan will be fine. I'll take care of him." Videl's husband smiled in agreement, although everyone else knew that he didn't need looking after.

"You come home safe," Videl said to him. It sounded more like a threat than a wish.

"I will," Gohan promised her, and without another word she took off. At the same moment, the sons of warriors were flying in. Those assembled looked surprised to see Goten and Trunks land among them. Yamcha and Tien laughed and called hello, and Krillen waved. About the only ones who didn't appear happy to see them were their fathers.

"Gohan!" called Goten to his older brother. "You're here!"

"Hey, squirt," Gohan replied fondly. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Goten nodded with enthusiasm.

"I don't think so," growled Vegeta. The boys turned to look at him with surprise.

"Dad, what d'you mean?" Trunks wanted to know.

"I _mean_, you're going to turn around right now and go back home," Vegeta explained flatly. "_Both_ of you."

"But…but why?" asked Trunks. Vegeta's brow contracted in a frown.

"Because you two are a liability in this fight."

"Liability?" repeated Goten. It sounded as if he didn't even know what the word meant. But he nevertheless understood Vegeta's meaning. "You're sending us back home—like Videl?" They couldn't comprehend why they were being placed on a level with mere Earthlings.

"So _Krillen_ gets to fight, but not _us_?" Trunks said angrily. Goku looked displeased at the attribution of disdain to his oldest friend, but it was Vegeta who reached out and backhanded his son across the cheek.

"_Krillen_"—he put emphasis on the name for an entirely different reason—"is an experienced fighter! He's battled enemies like this since long before you were born. Not only that, but for the past four years he has been training without rest, pushing himself and getting stronger. And most importantly, he is completely focused on the battle at hand!" Trunks looked up at his father, clutching the place where he'd been smacked, truly hurt by the anger in Vegeta's eyes.

"Vegeta's right." Goku's voice was both more gentle and more stern. "This isn't a game, boys."

"We _know_ it's not a game!" Goten cried. "Please, Dad—let us fight with you! We can't just do _nothing_ while you're battling that…that…" He pointed at the black-garbed thing over their heads. The creature flew down to them, disconcertingly close all of a sudden.

"Ful," he supplied. He lifted his hand in a wave even though he was upside-down. "Nice to meet you." Then he leveled his hands on Vegeta and Goku and shot energy blasts at them from close range. Both Saiyans went flying, and Ful grabbed their half-Saiyan sons. "Two little boys, never been in battle before, what to do?" he murmured as if to himself. "What to do…what to do…"

"We have _so_ been in battle before, you creep!" snapped Trunks. He and Goten struggled with all their young might, but their enemy held them under his arms with their arms pinned to their sides. There was little they could do from their position.

"Oh, no!" Goku cried as he got to his feet. Vegeta was also pushing himself up.

"You see?" he muttered in disgust. "They're already being taken hostage." Goku ground his teeth together and stared helplessly at his opponent. _Kacarrot._ Hearing Vegeta's voice in his head, Goku made the mistake of turning towards his friend. _Don't __look__ at me, fool!_ came the familiar exasperation in the prince's tone. _Then he'll know we're planning something._

Goku instantly faced forward again. _Right. Um…we're planning something?_

_Yes__._ Vegeta's narrowed eyes took stock of the situation. _He thinks he's taken a hostage? Then let him go ahead and think that._

_But he __has__ taken a hostage,_ Goku pointed out the obvious.

_Well, we're going to fight, anyway,_ Vegeta declared._ You're going to shoot as much energy as you can at that freak._

Goku chanced a split-second glance at Vegeta. The Saiyan looked completely sure of himself. _Are you out of your mind?!_

_It will take him completely by surprise,_ explained Vegeta._ He won't know how to respond. Then, right before the energy __hits__ them, I'll get the boys to safety._

_Are you sure that'll work?_ Goku made his doubt known. _I mean, wouldn't it be better if __you__ threw the energy, and __I__ saved the boys? My Instant Transmission will—_

_No. It has to be this way, Kacarrot._

_Why?_ It was Goku's turn to scowl._ You can throw energy blasts even more powerful than I can._

_Because they'll believe you._ Vegeta let his words sink in. _No one will think you're up to something, not even your own son._ He looked sideways at his rival._ Can you make it work, Kacarrot?_

Goku let out his breath and planted his boots in a fighting stance. _Let's do it._

"What will you do, what will you do?" Ful was still singing idly. Goku flew up until he was level with the alien in the air.

"Hey! You think you're just gonna get us to do whatever you want?" he demanded.

Ful flipped upright, still smiling and spinning. "That's exactly what I think." He stopped mid-twirl so that Goten was oriented toward his father. "This is your son, isn't it? Your son?" A smirked colored his swarthy features. "He looks just like you."

"Well, we're not gonna fall into your trap, ya hear me?" Goku powered up with vibrant white chi around his body. "No matter what you do!" He put his hands together in the old familiar movement. "Ka…me…"

Ful's eyes widened. He turned to face Goku but started to back up. "Wha…what are you doing?"

Below them, Gohan shielded his eyes to be sure he was seeing things right. "Yeah, Dad!" he called up. "What are you _doing?_"

"Goku?" Krillen joined in.

"Ha…me…" Goku continued, heedless of all of them. The blue light of the power in his hands lit up his face. Goten had never seen him look so determined, or so fierce.

"Daddy?" he asked in a tiny voice that was somehow still audible over the hum of the glowing ball.

"You wouldn't dare!" spat Ful. He turned the half-Saiyans so that they were in front of him, held against his torso.

"_Dad!"_ Gohan yelled at the top of his voice. He bunched his body down to leap up to his father, but Krillen grabbed his wrist before he could go.

"Gohan," he muttered. "Hey. Let's trust your dad this time, huh?" He squinted through the blue light. "He knows what he's doing."

"Kacarrot!" Vegeta bellowed. It sounded like a call to reason. Only Goku knew it as a signal.

"I'm sorry, boys," Goku murmured. There was nothing false about his words. It tore his heart to see Trunks's and Goten's still-childlike faces looking utterly betrayed—by _him._ They were so afraid, so vulnerable. He swallowed hard and threw out his hands. It was all down to this. "HAAAAAAA!"

"Noooo!" howled Ful. Goten and Trunks shut their eyes and screamed. Then Vegeta went into action. Suddenly he was gone from the ground, appearing at Ful's back, and punching him as hard as he could between the shoulder blades. It propelled him toward the rushing Kamehameha Wave. Trapped in his arms, the boys were now dangerously close to the white-hot energy. Vegeta flew under them, grabbed each boy by the collar, and was gone.

_Boom_. Everyone shielded his eyes, aghast at what had happened. The explosion vibrated the very earth they were standing on and sent dust and smoke billowing into the air. "No!" Gohan yelled as he crossed his muscled arms over his face.

"Wait, Gohan!" Still next to him, Krillen screamed into his ear to be heard. "You feel that? Goten and Trunks are still alive!" He laughed. "Goku must've been planning to save them all along!"

Goten was most definitely still alive. Not a moment after Vegeta had let go of his shirt front, Goku was at his side. He crushed his boy into a hug for the second time that day. "Goten, you're safe."

Vegeta, whose tendency was anger, hadn't released his hold on his own son and was now laying into him. "Do you _see_ now?! You're not fit for battle, not until you can fight like a _true_ Saiyan!" He made a growling noise of disgust. "Now get out of here, before that monster captures you _again_ and uses you as a weapon _against_ us!"

"Dad, I—I'm sorry," Trunks breathed, his voice shaky. If he had been looking up, he would have seen that while Vegeta's voice was irate, his face was not.

"Listen to me," his father bade him in a calmer tone. "Kacarrot and I are the first line of defense. _You_ are the last." Trunks dared to look up at him, unsure of the meaning of the words. "Now, go on," his father commanded him again. "Hurry."

Goku slackened his hold so that Goten could finally breathe again. "You, too, son." He gave Goten a push to get him started. Both of them took off, leaving contrails of white chi.

"Beat him, Dad!" Goten shouted back. Goku watched until they were gone.

"Count on it." He caught Vegeta's eye and grinned. Then, the last two surviving Saiyans in the universe soared into battle side by side. Their power crackled around them like lightning; their punches were louder than gunshots. And their friends and family looked on with wonder.


	7. Not Gonna Hide

Trunks put on the brakes, and Goten shot way ahead of him. When the younger boy noticed that he was flying alone, he doubled back to hover next to Trunks. "Hey, what's wrong, Trunks? Why'd you stop?"

Trunks looked sideways at his friend. "Oh, come on. You don't really think I'm gonna go back home and _wait_, do you?"

"But our dads said…"

"I don't _care_ what they said!" Trunks's anger caused power to billow out around him. "I'm _not_ going to sit around while everybody else does the fighting. I can't just float here while everyone we care about may be in trouble!"

"The whole _Earth_ might be in danger," Goten breathed.

"That's right. And we're not gonna hide behind the grown-ups like some scared little kids." Trunks balled his hands into fists and summoned his power. "We don't need them to protect us!" Goten mimicked his friend and let white power envelop his young body.

"You're right, Trunks. Let's show 'em what we can do!"

"You got that right!" Trunks shouted back. They headed back the way they had come at top speed.


	8. Still Losing

When they returned to the battle scene, they could see their fathers working in perfect synchrony to fight their enemy. It was truly impressive—until Ful reached out with his own symmetry and punched both of them in the stomach at the same time. He must've been much stronger than the boys had thought at first, for first Goku, then Vegeta, clutched his stomach and sucked in a painful gasp of air. Ful brought his elbows down on both black heads to send them plummeting to the ground. It was Piccolo and Gohan's turn next. They took to the skies without hesitation and attacked in unison. The familiarity between them of master and student was obvious: they worked in tandem even better than Goku and Vegeta had.

"Boys!" came a shout from behind them. "Get down!" Krillen slammed into them in a football tackle and threw them to the grass. Looping his arms over their shoulders to ensure they stayed down, he protected them from the worst of a giant energy blast that spread out to catch most of the fighters in its radius. None of them could see who'd been hit, or how much damage had been done. When the smoke covered them momentarily, Krillen sat up. "What are you doing here?" he demanded angrily. "I thought they told you to get out of here!"

"We don't _need_ you to _babysit_ us!" Trunks exclaimed, irritated because Krillen had done exactly that not ten seconds ago. He growled his frustration like his father. "What do you think, we're just helpless little kids? We can fight, too, y'know!" He glared at Goku's teammate. "We're _not_ gonna be the 'last line of defense.'"

Krillen blinked at him, seeming bewildered by the sarcasm in Trunks's tone. Then he glared at the boy and held up a finger. "Do you two know how _important_ it is to be the last line of defense?" He held their gazes with utter seriousness. "When no one else can go on…when everyone has reached their limit, or been defeated, or even _died_…" He stopped for effect and then concluded, "…it's all up to you." Sighing, he explained, "Don't you understand? Your dads put their _faith_ in you. They know you won't let them down."

"Really?" Trunks asked, barely above a whisper. That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear.

"Krillen." Goten's voice sounded so serious that Trunks turned to him in surprise. His hands were fists. "Please let us fight. We won't get in your way this time. I promise." Krillen hesitated, unused to seeing Goten look so resolved.

"Well…" He pointed through the dissipating smoke with his thumb and muttered, "I'm not the one you have to convince." Goku and Vegeta were getting to their feet again. Trunks swallowed hard, but Goten flew right over to them. Trunks could only repress his reluctance and follow along behind.

Gohan and Piccolo were getting badly beaten by their opponent, even though they were fighting together. Ful socked and battered them until they couldn't resist and were limp before his punches. It had been a long time since Goten's brother had fought Cell. Lately, he had been spending less time training and more time studying to complete his bachelor's degree. His lack showed, as he was the first of the two to go down. Piccolo was a shrewd fighter, but he fell back before Ful's superior strength and crashed to the earth not long after Gohan did. This time, it wouldn't be Gohan who saved the world.

But maybe Trunks and Goten could.

"Dad!" Goten touched down behind his father. Goku turned with surprise and stood so that his body was between Ful and his son, shielding him without thought. "G-Goten?" He noticed Trunks making his belated way toward them. "And Trunks?" To say that Vegeta did not look happy would have been an understatement. Goku frowned down at them. "I thought we told you boys to—"

"Dad, please." Trunks didn't know where his friend got the gall to interrupt his father, or to stand so calmly before him when it was obvious that they were both in trouble up to their ears. "Please let us fight with you." He stood tall and strong, his hands now fists of determination. "We're Saiyans. This is what we were born to do. We can't let you protect us forever. _We_ have to do the protecting. _We_ have to help save the Earth."

"Yeah," Trunks found himself saying. Goten's words had inspired him. "We're not just dumb kids anymore, who don't know what we're doing. I mean, I know we messed up a lot against Buu, but…" His voice trailed off. He bit his lip and said simply, "We're strong now."

"So don't ask us to sit at home with Mom while you risk your life to save the universe. Gohan was younger than me when he beat Cell." Goten folded his arms. "We can do this, Dad. Don't hold us back."

His speech couldn't fail to impress the two men. Goku chuckled, rubbing his head in thought. Vegeta was even starting to smile. "Well done," he said gruffly to them. His smile widened. "You're finally acting like true Saiyans."

"Does that mean we can stay?" Trunks blurted. He had had no idea Goten was that good at convincing people.

Vegeta turned away. "Watch the battle," he instructed them.

Goku grinned at them. "When your turn comes…you'll know."

Yamcha and Tien were fighting now. Neither of the boys had ever seen them in action. They were pretty good. Their moves were focused and calculated—they may not have the strength of the Saiyans, but they could make every jab count. Yamcha curved his arms in a stance that Trunks had never seen before. "Wolf Fang Fist!" he shouted.

In the same moment, Tien yelled, "Tri-Beam!" Searing yellow energy shot from his hands like a laser. Yamcha's attack came from the opposite side, and the two chi blasts trapped Ful in the middle.

"Yeah! We did it!" cheered Yamcha, squeezing his hand into a fist. But the smoke quickly cleared, and their enemy didn't seem to have a scratch on him. He shot forward, and his fist sank so deep into Yamcha's stomach that the bulge could be seen through the Earthling's back. Goten gasped as blood flew from his mouth. The warrior fell, down for the count. Before Tien could react, Ful's elbow went right into his nose. The Z fighters could hear it crack, and a similar sound was heard when the alien raised his leg up to his nose and brought it down on Tien's smooth head. A second warrior was down.

"Guys, no!" Goku exclaimed. The only sound that encouraged them was the groaning. At least Tien and Yamcha were still alive.

Krillen hadn't been wasting time just watching the fight, though. A surge in his power level caused everyone to look his way. He was holding the glowing Destructo Disc above his head, just like in all the old stories. "See how you like _this_ one, Ful!" he challenged their enemy. "Destructo Disc!" He threw the flattened energy blade in the alien's direction. To his satisfaction, Ful made the mistake of underestimating the Disc's power.

"Ha!" he shouted, sticking out his arms in front of him to block himself. "Just try it!" But the Destructo Disc wasn't one of those attacks that could be warded off. Krillen sent it into a deadly spin, straight toward its target. Ful reached out a hand to deflect it…and it passed right through his wrist. He shrieked as it buzzed the rest of the way past him to explode against a nearby rock formation. His hand was now on the ground, his arm a bleeding stump.

Trunks and Goten cheered and pumped their fists in the air. What an amazing attack! Krillen was a much better fighter than they had given him credit for.

Ful had picked up his severed hand as though he couldn't believe what had just occurred. He even brought the doomed body part back to his wrist as if he were trying to piece the bones back together. Then he vaporized the piece that had been a part of him until moments ago. The hand turned to ash as he engulfed it in chi. Then he balled his only remaining hand into a fist.

"Rrrrr…you'll _pay_ for that," he swore to Krillen. He leaped forward like a blur, heading for his quarry. The only Earthling still standing took a brave fighting stance and prepared himself for the worst. Ful's blows came so fast that he could only block one out of ten of them. The power behind the strikes was enough to crack his bones. They would be breaking soon under the strain. The only reason he wasn't already dead was that the enemy was fighting one-handed.

"_Krillen_!" screamed Goku. He took off into the fight to help his friend. Drawing Ful's attention away from the diminutive bald fighter, he engaged the enemy in serious fist-to-fist combat. Ful must've put up an excellent fight even with only one hand, because it wasn't long before Goku's hair blossomed into gold. He had to be a Super Saiyan for this fight.

Goten and Trunks watched him do battle for a long time. Slowly, Ful seemed to gain the upper hand. Goku was incredibly strong, but he was still losing. Again and again he was downed, and again and again he got back up and returned to the fight. Finally, when the yellow power around him died, and he fell without regaining his feet, Vegeta entered the fray.

Now it was getting down to the wire. The boys held their breath as they watched the only adult still standing, do battle. Vegeta fought for a long time. Dozens of energy blasts, combos, mind games—he pulled out all the stops as he fought. Either more resilient or more stubborn than Goku, he always managed to push himself up again, even when he was beaten into the ground.

The moment came when Ful had him pinned down like a schoolground bully. He was hitting the Saiyan directly in the face. Trunks couldn't just stand back and watch anymore. Neither of them could. As one, they let loose their power and ascended to Super Saiyan level two. No one else was left. It was their turn now.

"You…_jerk!"_ Trunks pounded his fist into his enemy's head as he said it. A rush of satisfaction filled him as the alien went flying.

"Over here, bonehead!" Goten yelled his taunt. Ful's ugly face contorted in a scowl, and he threw himself at the youngest fighter on the field. Goten had to put every ounce of focus and skill into just keeping him at bay. Trunks quickly soared to help his oldest friend.

"Still think we don't know how to fight?" he mocked their opponent. Side by side, they fought Ful from the front to work with the advantage of his missing hand. Their punches started scoring hits in his midsection. Could they actually win this?

The alien roared with vexation and snatched a handful of Goten's long, unruly hair. He threw him against Trunks so that their bodies collided with an "_Oof!"_ Seeming to enjoy this method, their enemy grabbed each of them by the hair and brought their heads together. _Crack_. The impact of skull hitting skull was audible even above the boys' screams of pain. _Crack_._ Crack_. _Crack_. _Crack_. _Crack_.

Finally he tired of his cruel game and let them fall into a heap. Tears of pain wetted Trunks's face, and Goten was suffering double vision. He saw two of his enemy as Ful leaned toward them and whispered conspiratorially, "Do you know what happens when I sneeze?" He began tickling himself in the nose, a ridiculously common gesture in the middle of a life-or-death scenario. Slowly, he began taking a deep breath as his body's respiratory system reacted. His breaths came faster and faster. As the black head tilted back, Goten shut his damaged eyes and did the only thing he had time for: he covered Trunks as much as he could with his comparatively smaller body.

_Fwoom_. Flames burst forth from the alien's mouth. They roared around the two half-Saiyan boys, who howled in terror and were thrown back in a sizzling burst of heat. They came down hard. Trunks thought he heard something break as he crashed to the stone. Maybe it was Goten whose bone had snapped. His friend did seem to be in agony. Goten wouldn't stop crying out and groaning. How badly was he burned? Trunks could just see that his orange gi was gone from the waist up. And his hair had received a makeshift bob when the flames seared through it.

"Hey, Goten," croaked Trunks, "I like you better with your hair short." He laughed a little at his own joke, but quickly regretted it. If breathing by itself hurt, then laughing shook him with pain to the core. He concentrated on gasping for breath.

"Trunks." It was his father's voice, weak but still there. "Come here." Trunks made a truly valiant effort to get up, but he couldn't even raise his head.

"Dad…I can't…"

"I _said_," came Vegeta's voice again, "_come here!"_ There was no way he could disobey his father when he sounded like that. Apparently the pleasure of motionlessness was something he was going to have to forfeit. Trunks locked his jaw and forced his body to bend to his will. Grimacing and grunting with every moment, he rolled onto his stomach and pulled himself along the ground to where Vegeta lay. It took all his willpower not to scream. He didn't want to draw their enemy's attention. Because he knew already that Vegeta had a plan. "Give me your hand," his father ordered him hoarsely as soon as Trunks was close. He reached forward and took his son's hand, their arms stretched out in front of them. Most of the white glove was already gone.

Trunks immediately felt more alert as his father's hand squeezed his strongly. He was able to lift his head and look at Vegeta, whose eyes were already on him. "I need you to clear your mind of all thoughts," the Saiyan prince said quietly. "I know you've never read minds before; so you're going to have to learn in a hurry. You must read my mind now." Trunks tried to focus on nothing except the instructions he was hearing. How did this work? "You're going inside my mind," Vegeta told him. "Think of yourself as a part of me. My thoughts are your thoughts." He shut his black eyes and for some reason looked as if he were steeling himself to do something very difficult. "See what I see…"


	9. The Memory

_Vegeta had been called to appear before Lord Frieza. And that was never a good thing._ Trunks could feel the stiffness in his young father's legs, the fear roiling in his gut. He could see the memory as though he were watching it on one of his mother's video screens. But every emotion Vegeta felt was Trunks's to share in. _Vegeta entered the throne room, his shoulders squared, his head held high. His face betrayed nothing. Frieza was sitting on an ornately overlaid chair of gold. His servants and courtiers surrounded him. Until Vegeta came in, the lord of the universe had been twitching his tail boredly with his chin in his hand. But now Frieza's head rose with interest. Though, the expression on his face was still one of dangerous spite. _Trunks's father waited to be addressed.

"_Vegeta." The voice was a cold sneer._

_The previously mentioned Saiyan bowed. "You summoned me, Frieza?"_ Trunks had heard the tales all his life of the legendary battle of Goku vs. Frieza. It was the first time Goten's dad (or any Saiyan) had ascended to the level of Super Saiyan. He had defeated the evil Frieza with a mighty Kamehameha Wave. It was a gripping, epic saga. But to Trunks it had always been just an old story. Something in the past, not real or concrete. Now all of a sudden, he remembered all the people Frieza was said to have killed, how he held the entire universe in the palm of his hand. A hand that was an iron fist. No one stood against him and lived. It was no wonder that _Vegeta was sweating underneath his clothes. His heart was racing._ Trunks licked his lips and continued to watch. He knew, somehow, that his father was fourteen. Barely older than Trunks himself.

"_That's right, I did." Frieza gestured with his hand. _His fingernails were claws, and the claws were polished cold purple._ "Do you recognize the name 'Pwelc,' by any chance?"_

"_It's a planet," Vegeta answered stiffly._

"_Indeed, it is," Frieza confirmed. "A planet to which I sent you with orders to kill all the inhabitants. Surely you remember? You came back from there barely a month ago."_

"_I remember," replied Vegeta._ Was that a tremor in his father's voice? It couldn't be.

"_Good." Frieza's eyes flashed. His impassive face was suddenly ugly with fury. "Then perhaps you can tell me __why__ the planet's inhabitants are STILL ALIVE?!" He brought his fist down on the armrest of the throne. "Not only __that__, but they're reproducing and LEAVING THE PLANET!"_

_Vegeta took an unconscious step back. "I-impossible!" he stammered. "They were only children!" His eyes went wide—he had made a huge mistake. Frieza's eyes, too, widened._

"_You __knew__," he realized. His voice had gone from a shout to a whisper. "I thought you had missed a few of the rats hiding in their sinkholes, but…you spared them on __purpose__, didn't you?" His eyes were narrow, and his mouth wide in a snarl. "Did you feel __pity__ on them, children begging for mercy?" He leveled his pointed finger at Vegeta. "Let me tell you something, young 'prince.' Pwelcans age much faster than we beings do. A month to them is several years to us. Then, like cockroaches, they spawn and their children can __infest the universe__! Well, it's my universe now, and I won't have any annoying infestations spoiling my view, ruining my reign. And what I'm going to do to those cockroaches you __allowed to live__ won't be ANYTHING compared to what I'm going to do to you." His eyes flicked to the right. "Zarbon."_

_A turquoise-hued alien with green hair stood at attention. "Yes, Lord Frieza."_

"_I don't want to dirty my hands with this monkey. You and Dodoria can take care of him."_

"_As you command, my Lord Frieza." Zarbon jumped high and touched down in front of _a shorter, lankier_ Vegeta, who flinched impulsively._ Trunks could feel his father's thoughts, feel the rush of embarrassment as though it were his own._ How could he __voluntarily__ betray his cowardice before these slave drivers? "Yeah, you know what's coming, kid," Zarbon noted his reaction grimly. He wrapped his arms around Vegeta in an inescapable full nelson hold. "Don't take it so hard, all right? We're just following orders."_

"_Like YOU should have!" roared a bubblegum-pink alien with spikes. Dodoria rushed toward them with his fist preceeding him. Vegeta shut his eyes as tightly as he could and clenched his jaw._ Trunks knew it because he was doing it, too, even as he saw it happen. But his closed eyes couldn't block his vision. And the pain that filled his father's body was his to endure as the beating began. _Dodoria swung his fists like a wild man, hitting Vegeta again and again. On the chin, in the nose, both his temples, even boxing his ears—any part of the boy's head he could without striking his comrade. The only reason Vegeta's head wasn't snapping back and forth was that Zarbon was stabilizing it from behind. They didn't want his neck broken. _Trunks screamed harder than he ever had before, but his scream_ couldn't drown out Vegeta's. "Ah, enough, already!" Zarbon shouted in irritation. "You'll crack his bloody skull." Dodoria stopped, but Frieza was far from satisfied._

"_More!" he snarled with clenched fists. The pink alien was happy to obey. His face a feral smile, he bent over and slammed merciless punches into Vegeta's abdomen._ Trunks couldn't bear it. His ribs were steadily breaking. The organs beneath were being crushed. Soon he and_ Vegeta_ _would die_._ But Dodoria ceased just short of killing the teenager. Frieza wanted him alive even more than he wanted him tractable. Zarbon let the boy's head fall forward. Without breaking the hold, he held Vegeta at arm's length with distaste. The Saiyan adolescent was coughing up blood. Then he vomited through his groans of pain._ How was his stomach still intact after an attack like that?_ "Take him to the infirmary," Frieza ordered him. "And get someone to clean up the floor. It's revolting."_

"_Yes, my lord." Zarbon left the throne room with Vegeta in tow._ Trunks's father's boots were dragging along the floor.

"_I know your secret," Vegeta choked out._ How could he even talk after all that?_ "I saw you transform on Planet Zet."_

"_Yes, the little prince needed my help to take down all those giant Zettians." Zarbon spoke with idle condescension, but Vegeta was hardly listening to him._ Or perhaps he couldn't hear. Both of his ears were bleeding.

"_You try so hard to look handsome and elegant," Vegeta went on. "But you're nothing but a monster. A beast." Zarbon's lip curled: Vegeta had touched a nerve. He gripped the boy's collar and held him up so that they could face each other._

"_I'll thank you to keep a more respectful tongue in your head when you speak to me," he growled._

"_Yes, 'sir.'" Vegeta's answer, weak as it was, was still sarcastic._ Trunks couldn't believe his father's audacity. Wasn't he afraid of the consequences of his actions? Trunks was most definitely afraid of them.

_Zarbon reached behind Vegeta, who then started to scream pitifully. The blue alien's hand was squeezing Vegeta's furry tail. "I'll __bet__ that hurts, eh?" he sneered. "It's like crushing your spine in my hand, I'd imagine."_

"_Please __stop__!" wailed Vegeta. In reply, Zarbon closed his hand more tightly over the tail tip. Vegeta thrashed back and forth, his mouth _and Trunks's_ opened in howls of pain. "I'm SORRY!" he finally sobbed. Zarbon released his hold, and Vegeta dangled from his hand _like one of those noodles Goten liked so much. Finally, all the rebellion had been wrung out of him._ "Forgive me, sir." This time the respectful address was sincere. "It won't happen again." Tears of pain and humiliation dripped down his face onto Zarbon's hand. His nose was running, too._

_The elegant alien smiled. "There, see? That wasn't so hard." He carried Vegeta to a room filled with advanced machinery. Robed aliens came running to meet him._

"_The prince has been injured __again__?" asked a scrawny green lizard-alien. They took the Saiyan from Zarbon's arms and began scanning him with _what looked like price guns from the store.

"_Yes, Vegeta needs a few days in the tank," Zarbon informed them._

"_A few days? With injuries like these, it might be a few __weeks__ before he's back to full strength," the chief medic said. He was recording his voice onto _a little tape-deck thing_ now. "Multiple head injuries, possible concussion. Sensory damage possible; tests will have to be run. Bruising, bleeding, broken ribs, possibly sternum. Multiple injuries of the abdominopelvic cavity…" As he was rattling all this off, more medics were undressing Vegeta, supporting his limp body. They stripped his clothes and armor off while Zarbon watched. The young Saiyan brought his tail between his legs to conceal his nakedness from his hated superior officer. Wires were attached to his stomach and bruised temples. A breathing mask was fastened over his face. Zarbon put his hands under Vegeta's armpits and lifted him not unlike an infant. He flew up to lower the boy into a tank full of bright blue water._

"_In you go." He watched in satisfaction as young Vegeta collapsed into the healing bath._

"_Was this Master Frieza's doing?" the medical chief presumed. He sighed. "With respect, Lord Zarbon, one of these days he's not going to survive this so-called 'punishment' of yours. This is the worst I've ever seen him."_

"_Oh, don't worry; he'll live." Zarbon was confident. "And I do believe he'll be a good boy from now on…"_


	10. Heroes?

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Trunks threw back his head and screamed. He realized that he had gotten to his feet and was standing in the power-up position. Perched on his knees at Trunks's feet, Vegeta still grasped his hand.

If there was ever a moment where he had more than enough of the rage he needed, that moment for Trunks was now. Before, there was no power left in him. Now, he felt as though he had enough ire and chi to go up to Super 2. Maybe farther. After having taken the form of the Super Saiyan spikes, his lavender hair froze just short of going gold. The pupil in his eyes had disappeared, although they were still the color of the sky. Lightning and wind surged around him as his innards boiled with fury. They would _pay_ for what they had done. Oh, yes. Trunks would make sure they _never saw daylight again_…

While Vegeta was bringing his son back up to speed, Goku was attending to _his_ son. He bent over Goten, gripping the boy's shoulders as though he could pour life back into him by doing so. It was hard to tell which of them looked worse for the wear. Goku could barely hold himself up. He looked more like someone who was using Goten to prop himself in a sitting position, rather than a father who was focused on bringing his son back to his full strength.

"Come on, son. I know you can do this." Sweat dripped from his chin onto Goten's forehead in small droplets. Then he slipped and fell to his stomach next to his son. Refusing to give up, he reached his arm over Goten's body, trembling with fatigue. In one motion, he rolled onto his back and pulled Goten with him, holding him against his stomach. They made a sad pair, Goku gasping for breath and his son still moaning in pain. Goku was utterly spent, but he still had a little energy left in him. And he was going to give it all to Goten. He closed his eyes and called a rallying cry. _Everyone! If you have any power left to give, send it to Goten and Trunks_. He repeated it for emphasis. _Give it all to Goten and Trunks! This fight is almost over, but I know we can still win it! I'm asking you all, please—bank everything on these guys. They may be young, but they won't let us down._ He smiled weakly. _Trust me._

And the Z fighters did. They always had. Tien and Yamcha couldn't stir themselves from where they had fallen, but they managed to each raise one hand and give their little remaining chi to the cause. The supine Piccolo grinned and lifted his arms high from where he lay. "I know those boys well enough to know that you're right, Goku," he muttered.

Krillen, sitting on the battlefield, didn't hesitate to level his hand on the Saiyans clustered together and feed them his power. "Those rascals, heroes?" He laughed to himself. "All right, but this had better work, Goku."

Gohan rose to his hands and knees and joined in by lifting his arm. "Right, Dad." He crumpled to the dirt with the other warriors as they all lost consciousness. "Go get 'em, little bro…"

Finally the two boys had the energy to be alert, ready, active. It was then that Goten realized that his father was giving everything for him. He began to wriggle in Goku's arms.

"No, Dad…you need power, too…what if you get hurt…?" Goten had never been able to escape his father's bear hug before, and he couldn't do so now.

"Nope," Goku said through a laugh, "you're gonna take everything I give you. You need to get back up and fight this guy." He gave his son a powerful squeeze of encouragement. "I know you're injured—your whole body hurts, doesn't it? And it won't do what you want. I know this is the hardest thing you've ever had to do." His hold was starting to get weaker, although his voice remained strong. "But you've got to push yourself to your limits and beyond. Find that power inside you, the power you need to win. And then let it all out!"

Trunks groaned long with effort. His face was enraged; his teeth were grinding together. Power washed over him. "That's it…" breathed Vegeta. "Harness your anger. _Fuel_ your transformation!" Trunks's hand hurt from the intensity with which Vegeta was squeezing it, but he could hardly feel the pain or hear his father's words. There was a heat consuming him from within. It dwarfed the energy flowing hotly into his body from Vegeta and the others. Through the haze, he made out his father shouting. "What you saw was in the past! But this is _now!_ Your fight is _here!_ And you know _exactly_ who your real enemy is!" The energy transfer was complete. All that was left now were their fathers' last words. "Now _fight!_" Vegeta roared at his son to ensure that he was heard.

"You can do it, Goten," Goku whispered to his youngest. "It's all up to you now. You're the last hope we've got."

"Remember your training," Vegeta urged Trunks. "Remember who you're fighting for."

"Be strong," Goku encouraged Goten.

"The people of Earth are relying on _you_ this time!"

"So take the energy everyone gave you… take it…use it…and…"

The final call to arms came from both Saiyans, the last two of their kind in the universe. "_FIGHT!_" Then their heads fell back and their bodies went limp.

Two bellows rent the air. Two flashes of light heralded two explosions of power. Two half-Saiyans took their power farther than it had ever gone before. Lightning and yellow energy auras blossomed over the scene. Where two boys had been, two young warriors now stood. Their knee-length golden hair showed their newfound strength.

They had ascended. And it was time.

Trunks and Goten were ready for battle.


	11. Let's Do It

But Earth's aggressor didn't seem to think so. His eyes widened, yes, when their power shot to a new level. They narrowed as the creature sized them up. But the conclusion he ended up with must have been not all that remarkable, for he threw back his head and chattered with laughter.

Maybe the boys weren't quite as imposing as they wished to be. One was shirtless, bootless, with one eye tightly closed to correct his double vision for the moment. The other's gi and skin were so battered and ripped up, it was as though he had emerged from a meat grinder.

"You kindergarteners have the nerve to think you can _stop_ me?!" crowed Ful. "You can't even defend yourselves! I nearly _killed_ you while you were out playing 'hero' by the caves. And I didn't even break a sweat!" He smirked at them like a cat awaiting its prey. "This isn't pretend, boys—it's the real world. And you can't be heroes here. You don't have what it takes. Everyone here knows that! Your own _fathers_ sent you home to Mommy!" He laughed at his own joke.

Goten frowned when he heard what his enemy said. So it _hadn't_ been some sort of accident that brought them to death's door earlier today. They had been attacked from behind. He turned to his friend so that they could synchronize themselves and move to attack. But Trunks was no longer there. Goten looked up just in time to see him rocket toward the alien with his arm outstretched. Trunks's fist slammed into Ful's shoulder with his entire momentum behind it. Their enemy virtually gagged in pain and fell back. He was cradling his wounded arm with his good one, but Trunks wasn't going to allow him any recovery time. The young half-Saiyan shot at his enemy again, his chi trailing behind him like a comet. Ful moved to the side, and Trunks zoomed past him. Then he came at the creature once more. Over and over, he rushed at Ful at top speed, but Ful dodged him time and again. Goten's grin faded as he saw that the attack wasn't working. Why wasn't Trunks trying something new? Floating closer, he took a good look at Trunks's face and saw that the older Saiyan didn't look rational. His features were a fixed mask of agitated emotion, the foremost of which was anger. Goten had never seen him look that way, and he didn't know what to do. Was this what becoming Super Saiyan 3 did to you? But why did _he_ feel just fine? Even though his amazing new power felt like a raging bonfire around him, he remained completely calm, certain that he had that power under his control.

There was only one thing to do. He clenched his fists and launched himself forward. He headed straight at his enemy and engaged the alien in an aerial battle of fists. "You think we're just kids? Well, let me tell _you_ something, Ful!" he shouted. "Our dads _believe_ in us! _Everyone_ believes in us. The whole _Earth_ is counting on us to save them! And we won't let them down!" His punches were faster than lightning and louder than thunder. Ful was getting hammered. "This isn't a game, where you can sneak up on us like a coward," continued Goten, adding insult to injury. "_We're_ in control now. _We're_ gonna be the heroes. And you know what else?" He drew back his fist and hit the alien right in the forehead. Screeching, Ful crashed to the earth. Goten pointed down at him to emphasize his words. "There's nothing you can do about it!"

Trunks roared and dropped, too, in hot pursuit. His power was truly peerless: there was probably no one in the whole universe whose power was as high as Trunks's was right now. So Goten was dismayed to see the enemy burst up from the rocks and successfully drive Trunks back in a sparring match. _Why_ wasn't Trunks in control of himself?

Goten flew down and stepped in again. He kicked Ful in the side and sent him sprawling, then turned to Trunks and put his hands on his friend's shoulders. "Hey!" he shouted into Trunks's face. "What the heck is wrong with you? _What's going on_?!"

Maybe talking louder was better, because Trunks blinked and seemed to hear him. He tried to free himself from Goten, but Goten held him still. "What's _wrong_, Trunks?" he yelled his question. "What happened to you that didn't happen to me?"

Trunks didn't answer, but Goten was shocked when tears suddenly started pouring down his cheeks. "Frieza…" his friend choked out. "A-and Zarbon…"

"What?" Goten couldn't understand why Trunks was bringing up ancient history. And who was Zarbon? He shook his head. "Why are you talking about that, Trunks? That was a long time ago. Frieza is dead!"

"My dad…" Trunks moaned to himself. Goten gritted his teeth, bent over, and punched his best friend in the stomach. Trunks grunted and put his arms to his abdomen, staring at Goten, more wounded in spirit than in body.

"Get it _together_, Trunks!" Goten screamed at him. "Your dad is _right down there!_ He's waiting for us to _beat_ this guy! He gave you the strength you needed!" He stared at his friend as he realized something else. "He gave you the _rage_ you needed." He powered up in a blinding display of power. "Well, it _worked!_ We're _Super Saiyan 3!_" Trunks seemed to be focusing very hard on his words, trying to calm down. "We've got a job to do!" Goten concluded. "Let's finish this guy off!" Trunks nodded; he already seemed more like his old self.

"Yeah—let's do it." The two of them flew forward as one. Goten glanced at Trunks and grinned like his father.

"Spiral Maelstrom?" he suggested. Trunks grinned back.

"Spiral Maelstrom." They flew forward in tight circles, twirling over and over each other. When their fists hit their enemy, it was in a spiraling motion with double the power behind it. Then Goten grabbed Trunks's left hand with his right. They swirled around and around until the centrifugal force pulled on their arms painfully. They had created a tornado that shrieked toward Ful and swept him up helplessly into itself. As soon as the creature was thrown free, Trunks soared to meet him and karate-chopped him in the side of the head. "That's for my _dad_, you monster!"

Goten elbowed him in the jaw the way his brother had been hit. "And this is for _Gohan_!"

"And for _Piccolo_!" Trunks avenged their respected mentor by planting a kick in Ful's spine.

"And _Dad!_" Ful was thrown forward, right into Goten's next blow, which sank into his chest.

"And _Krillen!_" The best apology he could think of for insulting the bald fighter was when Trunks struck their enemy in the ribs and felt one break.

"And _Tien!_" Goten gave Ful a black eye for the sake of the distant yet respected fighter.

"And _Yamcha!_" Trunks finished, flipping over and bringing a kick down onto the crown of the alien's head. Ful went down, but this time he stopped himself before he hit the ground. He glared at them in fury, knowing that he was not only losing, but would likely lose.

"Go ahead, then," he snapped. "If you're going to kill me—do it!"

"We don't have to if you leave now and don't come back," Goten said to him. He had learned many things from his father, perhaps the most important of which was mercy.

But Ful wouldn't accept his offer. "I'm not going anywhere," he hissed. Goten and Trunks frowned in the same way, at the same moment. They powered up at exactly the same time, and their levels were perfectly aligned. Together, they went to finish what the Z fighters had started.

They were the most perfect team Earth had ever seen. If Trunks was going to take a turn, Goten didn't have to ask, but moved out of the way for his friend. If Goten had an idea, Trunks knew it by instinct. Every time Trunks hit their foe, Goten was there to mirror his move on the opposite side. When Goten found an opening, it was Trunks who used it. If Trunks punched through Ful's defenses, Goten was there to capitalize on it and turn the advantage into a _huge_ advantage. The threat to Earth was doomed from the start.

Finally, he dropped his bulging arms to his sides and allowed the boys to deliver their punishing blows. When they stopped to gauge his reaction, he opened one eye. "_Do it!_" he said for the second time.

Despite the enemy's disconcerting willingness to die, Goten and Trunks knew they had no choice. They had to kill him this time. "_Haaaaaaahhh!_" they shouted, summoning all their considerable power. Trunks extended his hands in front of him to cup a lightning ball that zapped with potential. Goten bunched his body up. "Kamehame…"

"Take _this_!" Trunks proclaimed. Their voices were as one when they cried,

"It's a new attack I learned from my dad!"

Trunks threw his energy ball dead on target. "Galick Gun!"

Goten flipped around and pointed his feet at his enemy. "_Haaaaaaaa!_" Ful disappeared into a wave of intense chi. Trunks saw a smile on his face. And neither of the two half-Saiyans would ever understand the last word he spoke:

"Finally."

_BOOM!_


	12. It's Okay

Maybe the boys should've given more thought to the damage behind their combined attack. It turned Ful's body to ash, but it also caught them at pointblank range. The blast radius careened into them with a force greater than any bomb. They were blasted in opposite directions. Goten's hair turned back to black, Trunks's to purple. For many minutes, opaque smoke enveloped the scene.

When the sun could be seen again, Goten forced himself to his feet. He could see Trunks standing up in the distance. No one else was within eyesight. The other fighters' limp bodies must have been thrown clear in the blast.

Together, Goten and Trunks went searching for them. One by one they found their friends, scattered over the rocky plain. Yamcha and Tien were knocked out, but still alive. Gohan opened his eyes as his brother came near. He grinned and said quietly, "Way to go, squirt. You're stronger than all of us now." He reached up with his arm while still lying flat on his back. His palm connected with Goten's in a high five.

Piccolo grunted as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "You've both done well," he agreed, sparing them a rare, tight smile. They both laughed happily, warmed by their mentors' praise.

"Yeah," Krillen echoed. He had himself propped up on one elbow, and gave the boys the thumbs-up. "Good going, guys. You really came through."

Trunks finally spied his father and ran over to him as fast as his wobbly legs would allow. Vegeta was already sitting up. "_Dad!_"

The corner of the Saiyan prince's mouth turned upward. "Well done," he declared. Trunks dropped to his knees and threw his arms around his father.

"Dad!" he repeated. "We did it!"

Vegeta didn't return the gesture of affection, but instead rested his hand on his son's head. "I'm sorry," he breathed. His eyes were distant. "For showing you the memory. I never wanted you to see."

"It's okay, Dad." Trunks grinned up at his father. "We beat him! We beat the enemy!"

"Yes," agreed Vegeta, "you did." In a mutter he added, "Just forget what you saw, son. The burden is mine alone to bear."

Not really listening to him, Trunks said again, "It's okay. _Everything's_ okay now." Perhaps Vegeta exercised some mysterious influence over his mind, perhaps not; but Trunks was destined to forget most of the traumatic events of that day.

Goku, however, wouldn't wake up. He was spread-eagled on the ground with his eyes closed, and wouldn't respond when Goten shook him, shouted in his ear, or even pulled at his hair. Everything he had endured that day finally broke Goten with this final straw. He began to cry. "Daddy!" He bent over his father so that their faces were inches apart. "Daddy…" he sobbed. "Y-you've _got_ to _wake up_…you _can't_ die like this, not n-now…" His tears dripped from his chin and rained down on Goku's face. The Saiyan's nose twitched. "I just got you back! You can't _leave_ again! I-I—" He took a deep breath and wailed, "_I need you!_ Daddy, wake up! _Please!_" He put his arm over his face and rubbed his eyes. "Please…"

"Hey…" murmured Goku. His voice shocked Goten, who had been the only one not to notice him stirring. "It's okay, Goten. Shhh." He slung his arm around his son and pulled the boy close to his chest. "I'm not going anywhere." He laughed weakly and said to the warriors around him, "Yeah…I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a long time. I can't get up…" His friends began to chuckle at the irony.

"Dad?" came Goten's voice from his father's embrace. "I can't move…" After all the incredible moves he had demonstrated that day, he found that the mere weight of Goku's arm kept him pinned down. Now the Z fighters were laughing outright.

"Well then, I guess you're stuck with me, you little rascal!" Goku joked. For his son's ears alone, he whispered, "I'm _very_ proud of you, Goten."

"I know." Once more Goten tried to lift himself free, but he quickly gave up. It never seemed to matter how strong they got—once Son Goku got his arms around either of his boys, escape was futile. No matter how hard they tried.

` The End `


End file.
